Adjustable clamp



Sept. 19, 1961 A. H. SWENGEL ADJUSTABLE CLAMP Filed 001;. 2, 1958 INVENTOR. ALFRED H. SWENGEIL United States Patent Ofiice 3,001,173 Patented Sept. 19, 1961 j A 3,001,173 ADJUSTABLE CLAMP Alfred H. Swengel, 1852 41st St., Rock Island, Ill. Filed Oct. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 765,003 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-253) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalties thereon.

The present invention relates to an adjustable clamp, and more particularly to a clamp adaptable as an electrical connector for wires having terminaled ends of the flat blade type.

Various types of clamps of similar construction to that of the present invention have been proposed heretofore for specific applications. These clamps, however, are not particularly suitable as electrical connectors either because they do not provide good electrical contact or because they do not firmly hold a blade type terminal but have a tendency to expel the terminal from the jaws of the clamp.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present inven tion to provide an provement for clamps so that they will be useful as electrical connectors.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved electrical connector which will effect a more positive clamp for terminals of the blade type.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable clamp which is highly efficient in use and which will lend itself to providing a good electrical contact.

Still further it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved clamp which is relatively inexpensive in cost and which is universally applicable.

In accordance with the present invention, the adjustable clamp comprises a pair of jaws having adjustable means constraining them toward each other. An end of one of the jaws is fulcrumed on the other jaw and an opposite end portion thereof is arcuately shaped so that the constraining means will direct a clamping force in a direction normal to a flat member or blade inserted between the arcuate portion and the other jaw.

The novel features characteristic of the present invention, as well as additional objects and advantages thereof, will be understood better from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing of a preferred embodiment in which;

FIGURE 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the clamp suitable for use as an electrical connector, and

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the clamp shown in FIGURE 1, as applied to a base or suitable support.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout, the clamp is shown to comprise a pair of jaw members 1, 3. The jaw members may be fabricated from any suitable material, however, if the clamp is utilized as an electrical connector, the material should be a suitable electrical conductive type.

Each of the jaws is fabricated from strip material and is generally rectangular, the jaws being disposed one above the other. The one jaw 1 has an end portion 5 thereof angularly related to the remainder portion 7 and preferably with that end portion 5 disposed substantially perpendicular to the remainder portion thereby to provide an apex or vertex 2.

The other jaw 3 has an end portion 9 extending from a flat portion 8 and which is arcuately shaped in the longitudinal direction of the jaw. The end 11 of this flat jaw portion 8, which is remotely disposed from the arcuate end portion, is fulcrumed on the first mentioned jaw 1 in the area of the vertex of the two angularly related portions 5, 7 thereof so that it is angularly disposed relative to the remainder portion, for reception of a terminal 17 thereunder. The arcuate portion 9 is disposed over the remainder portion 7 of the first mentioned jaw with the convex contact surface 13 thereof adjacent to or extending toward the remainder portion. In this position, the free end 15 of the arcuate portion is disposed obliquely outwardly from the first mentioned jaw thereby facilitating insertion of a flat member or blade type elec trical terminal 17 therebetween.

The two jaws are constrained toward each other by a coil spring 19. Each of the jaws is provided with an aperture 21, 23 intermediate the ends thereof and each of which is aligned with the other for receiving a threaded bolt 25. The aperture 21 in the first mentioned jaw member is threaded to receive the correspondingly threaded bolt 25 in order to facilitate mounting the clamp on a board or other suitable support member 27, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. The aperture 23 in the other jaw member 3 preferably should be a little larger than that necessary to accommodate the bolt 25 in order to facilitate the lever action of the other jaw member 3. The bolt extends through the aperture 23 in the other jaw member and the spring 19 is mounted on the bolt so that it will have an end thereof in contact with the face of the other jaw member which is disposed away from the first mentioned jaw member. A nut or other suitable fastener 29 is threadedly engaged on the bolt at the opposite end of the spring the primary function of which is to compress the spring and effect a gripping action between the jaw members. It will be recognized that this arrangement enables the amount of pressure exerted by the spring to be changed according to the degree of clamping force required.

Thus, with the above described arrangement, the upper or other jaw member functions as a lever of the second class. The fulcrumed end -11 of this jaw member is abutted with the upwardly extending end portion 5 of the first mentioned jaw member so that rotation of the other jaw member about the bolt 25 and relative to the first mentioned jaw member is prevented. In addition thereto, it will be further recognized that the arcuate end portion 9 enables a clamping force to be applied to a member inserted between the jaws which is normal to that member thereby effecting a more positive engagement thereof. If, however, the clamp is to be used as an electrical connector, a conductor 31 can be attached to the first mentioned jaw member in any convenient manner, such as that illustrated in FIGURE 2 where it is engaged between the bolt 25 and the support member 27 Although the construction of this clamp is relatively simple, it will be recognized by persons skilled in the art that it provides an eflicient arrangement which effects a positive gripping action. It will also be apparent that changes and modifications apart from the embodiment shown and described herein are possible within the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is desired that the particular form of the invention shown and described herein be considered as illustrative and not as limiting.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising a pair of sheet metal clamping members adapted to receive a terminal member therebetween, one of said members having an end portion angularly related to the remaining portion thereof to provide an apex, the other of said members having a flat portion and an arcuate portion, a free end of the flat portion fulcrumed at said apex and overlying said one member remaining portion, said flat portion being angularly disposed relative to said remaining portion for reception of said terminal thereunder, said arcuate portion extending outwardly from an end of said fiat portion remote from said fulerumed end and providing a convex contact surface extending toward said remaining portion for engagement with said terminal, a member extending from said remaining portion freely through said fiat portion, and adjustable spring means on said 5 last named member biasing said clamping members together.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the overall length of said remaining portion is at least the same as the overall length of said other one of said clamp- 10 ing members.

References Cited-in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kneisel Mar. 4, 1913 Thonsen' -a Dec. 4, 1928 Rug'g .1. Sept. 2 1941 FOREIGN PATENI- Australia Nov; '13-, 1 933 Great Britain Sept. 25 197A 

